Guarding Forbidden Love
by stretch the faunlet
Summary: It was forbidden in those ancient days for a man of lower rank to fall in love with a woman of a much higher power. It was especially forbidden for a guard to fall in love with a princess. But since when did Mantis ever follow the rules? Mantis/Viper. AU.
1. Prologue

**Guarding Forbidden Love**

_Prologue_

Red silk ribbons moved through the air as the young serpent princess elegantly danced. As she twirled, bearing her expert moves gracefully while her ribbons mimicked every part of her movement, her mind once again went off into that far away place of her vivid imagination, a clever tactic she used when she had to perform in front of the citizens of her father's city, Huang Cheng, in order to overcome her stage fright. His people, which would eventually, one day, be her people. Huang Cheng and the throne of her father would also become her's one day, he always told her, though, with a tone of voice that she knew held a disliking to the thought... The cold tone of disappointment, clearly not pleased at the thought of handing down the throne to the only one of the bloodline that held no venom, as their species should. And though most princes and princesses looked forward to the day they became ruler, she was the only princess that wasn't looking forward to it. At all.

Her dance continued on, her movements never hesitating or stopping as her mind went further, digging deeper to reveal, once more, her real dream. The rolling hills and large valleys filled with green grass and small villages that were beyond the outskirts of Huang Cheng, hidden and private, were her dream. The dream of complete freedom, away from the peering eyes of the citizens of her current home, eyes that watched and waited for her to make one false move or mistake in order to find yet another reason to quietly gossip about how she'd make a horrible ruler and how it would be a mistake for the emperor to have his venom-less daughter take his throne. And she would hear their harsh words and feel the sting of their displeasure from even a single glance from her father; a father who she knew was secretly dissatisfied with the fact she, his own daughter, his firstborn, was the only snake without venom. She could not change who she was, and everyday was a battle to prove everyone wrong, even if her real dream was not to live the fancy and royal lifestyle, but to live in peace and private in the valleys beyond Huang Cheng, away from the Palace walls that made her feel like a daily prisoner since her father never allowed her to leave the Palace.

She was stuck in a fairytale that was not as joyful and dreamy as everyone always made it out to be.

Despite what everyone thought about her, and her _'happy'_ life, she was miserable on the inside. Trapped in someone else's dream. And just like the fact she was born without venom, she was born into an inescapable lifestyle of fame and fortune. She could not change any of her misfortunes, and she forced herself to stay, to prove herself worthy, to make her disappointed father proud of her... for once.

She stopped. Her dance had ended, and though it was a moving piece of work in the eyes of the citizens who came to watch her perform (the only thing they found redeeming of her), it always wore her out from exhaustion. Breathing heavily, the young snake opened her eyes, coming back to her melancholic reality as she was greeted by the faces of the citizens surrounding her. Time stood still for a moment, as they remained expressionless, staring back at her like when she passed by the small pond in the Palace gardens, peering in and seeing her reflection in the water, her expression always blank, her eyes always empty. All of their expressions were unreadable, void from any emotion.

But then time went back to normal after a moment, the blank expressions were then painted with grins, as they, the crowd, cheered and clapped for their Princess of Huang Cheng, the blossoming ribbon dancer.

She felt herself genuinely smile for the first time in a long while. She smiled proudly at the crowd, and turned her head to see her mother and father. Her mother smiled back at her young daughter, honestly and fully proud, as every mother would be. The princess then caught sight of her father beside her mother, and all her pride for herself faded when she noticed his blank, somewhat displeased expression. Void of any pride or love. There was no approval in his eyes, or even hidden in his expression. There never was when it came to her, and she was used to his daily discontent toward her. She knew it shouldn't hurt as bad since she was used to the gossip of the citizens, and especially used to the disappointment by her father... But that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

_She was just a princess with dreams of freedom, all the while being held down by the invisible shackles of her father's regret and disappointment._

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><p>A small figure in the darkness scurried through the wide vegetable garden outside of a small home. Dragging along a sack twice his size, the small figure, a young mantis, would stop every so often in front of whatever vegetables in the garden that he or his mother preferably enjoyed more than others, plucking them from their inner roots and throwing them into the sack. Mainly radishes, potatoes and onions. So far, he only had about ten all together. Four radishes, four potatoes and two onions.<p>

Living in a small village had it's perks. A bug living in poverty like the young mantis, could easily get away with stealing edible delights from the gardens of villagers who, quite frankly, didn't need them when they had plenty of food to feed their families daily. His mother was always ill, and so it was hard for her to keep a job, therefore lead to them having a hard time finding a place to live, and finding food to eat. The essential necessities needed to survive life.

And though he was picked on by the other villager kids for his small size, it was his size that he took pride in, for it had strong advantages. Like the stealing of other peoples' food to feed himself and his mother; his size came in handy for when it came down to stealth and speed. His size made it easier for him to be quicker than many of the other village kids. And even at the young, fragile adolescent age the mantis was currently, their hurtful words didn't cut so deeply. In fact, it hardly fazed him. He knew their words were created out of jealously for his amazing agility. They were slow and he was fast, and this was how he viewed them all when they decided to pick on him.

Placing the last desired vegetable into the sack, the young mantis turned and began to head back, dragging the sack with ease. There were twelve vegetables in the sack, all twice his size, yet the bag weighed almost nothing to him. After three years of mastering the skill of stealing garden edibles, he had slowly mastered a strength that was surely impossible for any insect. Insects could not even hold up a single radish over their heads, let alone be able to pull or push anything twice their size.

Yet here he was, only a young kid, an insect, being able to drag behind twelve large vegetables. This was an easy, daily task for him now, and everyday he became stronger, everyday he became even quicker.

But sometimes, he'd wonder if these were just wasted talents.

He had these amazing abilities, some he was born with, others he grew to learn and adapted to over time... But no one wanted anything to do with a poor bug who's mother was always sick and couldn't work. No one wanted anything to do with anyone facing poverty. Period.

Sighing, the young mantis realized this with a heavy heart. He stopped walking, pausing to glance up at the starry-sky that held the bright, full moon;_ the bed of the moon,_ as his mother used to tell him when he was a much younger child. The cruel words from the other kids didn't bother him, but the fact that no one wanted to give him a chance to show himself worthy for any type of job to at least have some money for a home for himself and his mother, the fact no one wanted anything to do with him, let alone wouldn't even try to help him or his mother... Now that did hurt him. A lot.

_He was just a poor village boy with many extraordinary skills to offer, who only wanted a better life for him and his mother._

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><p><strong>IMPORTANT: Please, if you don't like this pairing or the story or the way I write, then DON'T COMMENT. Pl<strong>ea**se, that'**s ALL I a**sk. I don't go around ba**shing your **storie**s or pairing**s**, **so plea**se don't do it to me. Okay? ****************

**A/N: Anyway, yeah... just a prologue. You can tell who the princess is and who the poor village boy is. Two different worlds come together as one, later on, basically. Yeah, this was just a little background info on Viper and Mantis, and please remember this is an ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE (AU) background and plotline, meaning these backgrounds for Viper and Mantis were just made, by me, for this particular story. Get it, got it? Good. Crystal? Clear.**

**Please review if you can. :)**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_15 years later..._

It was the first taste of clean, whole sunlight that welcomed him to the vast and open city of Huang Cheng. Well, Mantis had always seen sunlight, obviously, and always felt it, but it had been years since he had actually been under the warmth of the sun, without the gusty, cold wind or fog that would shield the sun's warm rays from reaching him. Sitting under the large sun as he bathed in it's warmth, he smiled and rested against his spot on the cart he had secretly hitched a ride on about a mile from his current destination.

Again, he silently thanked the Gods for his size. It was an easier life in some odd way for him to be small. It made his life easier, as a poor boy he once was, to steal food, and it was easier for him to secretly hitch a ride without the owner of the moving cart to realize they had a hitchhiker hiding behind them. And in Mantis' case, being his size made him an underestimated opponent in battle. No enemy took him seriously, always thinking they could beat him because he was just a bug. They'd always second guess his abilities, until the second they went to pounce on him for an attack, he'd be gone in a blink of an eye. His speed was a special ability of his, that even the biggest opponents could not defeat him. He'd run around them so quick that they'd make themselves dizzy trying to keep up with watching where he was, then he'd strike them down, pinpointing precisely where their nerves were, paralyzing them, and in some cases, killing them. Years of studying nerves and their exact location in the body of any species came in such a handy for battle, that when adding his speed, stealth and strength to the list of things he could do that other bugs couldn't, it would prove to anyone who second guessed him that he was in fact a warrior, a fighter and a survivor.

Mantis turned his attention back toward the warm sun that hung millions of miles above him. He realized, as the cart slowly entered the heart of Huang Cheng, that the sun and it's bright color matched the vibrant and lively citizens of the city. Citizens roamed to and fro on the main street, some selling food and hand-made items, some making loud and jubilant music while others danced along with the rhythm. There was a slight breeze, not to cold and not to hard, but perfect, and, glancing around, he noticed the children giggling with glee as they held kites on strings, kites that flew up above with the wind, decorating the light blue sky with bright colors. He hadn't seen this much joy in one city in a long time. Most villages and cities he'd been to were usually quiet on the streets, most of the citizens in poverty and struggling with their daily lives, to busy to even say hello. So far, Huang Cheng was the complete opposite of all those other cities, and Mantis became more and more satisfied with his decision to come to Huang Cheng on the emperor's behalf.

Yes, the emperor of Huang Cheng himself sent Mantis an invite to come and live at the palace as part of a job offer. According to the invite (which Mantis lost accidentally), the emperor had heard of Mantis' fighting abilities from some unknown source,- a passerby of whatever village or city he had been in at the time, Mantis guessed-, and picked him specifically to be a guard at the palace.

A guard. Mantis wasn't exactly enthusiastic at the thought of being just a guard, since he was, after all, one to seek excitement from any situation he was in. And being a royal guard didn't exactly scream 'exciting' to him. But, the invite listed all the perks Mantis would get if he accepted the opportunity, and though it didn't offer a lot, Mantis was willing to do anything for a place to stay and free food. Especially if that place to stay was a royal palace and especially if the food was made by the finest chefs in all of China. Yeah, he really would do anything to have even just those two perks.

His satisfaction turned to excitement in a blink of an eye as Mantis spotted, in the distance, the palace itself, big and tall in all it's glory. It was so many stories tall from what he could see that it loomed over the city from where it stood, yet it was also long in width, and Mantis randomly began to wonder; _How the in the hell did they make that thing? It's friggin' huge! How long did it take them to build that monstrosity? I bet some people died while making that... Probably. I know I would have._ As the cart moved closer, the palace seeming to grow, Mantis grew a tad bit nervous. _Ugh, but look it how tall it is! I could fall right out of that thing! I think I might be scared of heights now..._

He hopped off the cart finally, close enough to the palace that he decided to walk the rest of the way, seeing as how close the palace was... Or at least at how close it appeared to be. And for once, as he began to make his way toward the palace, he didn't have to worry about being squished or ran over by moving carts, though he was quick enough obviously to dodge the issues if necessary. The citizens seemed to be nice people compared to others he had ran into at other cities and villages. The people he walked past noticed him beside them, and they'd smile at him and move out of the way. Other people waved at him from their carts with happy greetings. He was not used to this kind of hospitality, but more so used to people scowling at him or sneering at him with much disdain, as if he was the direct cause of all their problems. Mantis smiled to himself. _I think I'm going to like this place._

But once he made it to the palace, standing many feet away from the large doors that just beyond lied the palace itself, he stared up at the many stories of the building. He could barely see the top of the palace because it was so damn high from where he stood. He gulped nervously.

_But I am going to have a slight problem with heights from this point on._

But then he grinned, rubbing his pinchers together in a delighted manner.

_At least I get free food._

* * *

><p>His city... His beautiful city. From where he stood, Lord Viper watched his city from high up above in his palace, where his throne had it's place; the heart of the entire palace. This was a daily hobby for him, to stand and watch his city passed down to him by a bloodline of powerful ancestors, ancestors who were all sovereigns of Huang Cheng in the past.<p>

Sometimes the realization that he was the emperor of one of the most powerful cities in China wouldn't sink in until he woke up in the morning, feeling the warmth of the sun hit his face from the window in his bedroom; like the face of the Gods smiling down on his city with pride, the sun always shined down on his city. Maybe that was why the citizens were always so lively; there was never any problems in city. None economic or physical, as in threat of being taken over by an evil dictator of another city or even another country. No, his city had no troubles or fear of any troubles hanging over their heads like a large grey cloud; just the shining sun and the big blue sky. Not a cloud in sight, not a threat in sight. All that lingered was a heavenly, content peace.

He had kept everything in line and out of trouble, just like his ancestors had.

Sometimes the life of an emperor could be so surreal, that he felt the need to do this everyday; standing and watching the glory of his rise as more and more drifters came into his town by the hundreds, sometimes thousands, searching for a better life, and Huang Cheng had much to offer to people who went to look for that particular purpose.

Suddenly he was reminded of something. A drifter from a village... Or was it a city? Someone he had sent a personal invite to... He forgot who and why. For a job opportunity... What was it again...? The words _'guard'_, _'warrior'_ and _'bug'_ came to mind, but he dismissed these thoughts, trying to find out the real answer. Maybe he really was getting old if he couldn't remember an invite he sent to someone a week before for a job opportunity at his palace... But who?-

"Lord Viper!" The doors burst open and immediately the emperor was cut short from his wandering thoughts by a familiar palace voice; a goose named Zeng. Zeng was the royal messenger, the one who took the emperors important invites and mail out to the people he had written them for.

As usual, he flew into the throne room in a hurry, causing a havoc of noise that Lord Viper didn't even know could be made by just one person. He sighed, closing his eyes. "What is it, Zeng?"

Zeng ran up to Lord Viper, coming up behind him. As always, he immediately cut to the chase. "Remember that invite you had me send to that mantis in that city that I don't remember the name of at the moment?"

He spoke so fast the emperor could barely keep up with what he was saying. He remembered a bit now, about the invite to that one guy, the mantis, to come to the palace. For what reason, he was still pulling a blank on. "Yes," he answered slowly, somewhat unsure yet somewhat sure. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, um... He's here."

Lord Viper's eyes popped open. Wait, he's here? He turned around quickly to meet Zeng's nervous expression. _Poor guy._ "He's here? Well what are you doing just standing there? Bring him up!"

Zeng's nervous expression twisted to a look of pure panic at the emperor's command. He nodded quickly. "Y-yes, sir!" He turned to leave, tripping over his own two feet as he raced out of the throne room to greet the visitor down stairs, waiting many feet below.

Once Zeng was surely and completely gone, Lord Viper shook his head, giving an exasperated sigh.

* * *

><p>The large doors slammed behind him. Mantis had realized, once inside and once he was actually ascending the many steps up into the heart of the palace, that the height wouldn't actually be that much of a problem... Just as long as his job wouldn't entitle him to stay outside on a balcony on the highest floor, he would be fine.<p>

He noticed the snake standing in front of an open window on the other side of the throne room. He glanced around at his surroundings, taking in the external beauty of the palace; it's floors made of pure jade, and walls made of a fancy type of food he had never even seen before, this palace was, in Mantis' term, _'rockin''_. _They really decked this place out!_

He wasn't sure, as he glanced back over toward the figure at the window, if the emperor even knew he was even in the room. Mantis went to move forward, but felt a tinge of panic rise within him at the mere thought of even meeting such a high-ranking person such as the emperor of one of the most powerful cities in China. Normally he was a people person, if people gave him a chance. He could start conversations automatically, and throw jokes around to liven the mood whenever necessary. But he knew that rich people had a reputation for, as Mantis put it: _'being complete asses'_.

_Just suck it up_, he silently told himself. _He did invite you here, didn't he? He would not invite you here just to be an asshole. Just suck it up!_

Mustering up all his courage, he took a deep breath and took a step forward.

"I completely forgot you were coming."

Mantis yelped, startled at the sudden sound of the emperor speaking. He placed his pincher over his heart (which was currently racing). He paused, catching his breath. "Uhh..." he glanced around. "You were talking to me... Right?"

"Who else would I be talking to?" Lord Viper turned, slithering over toward Mantis, who, at the sight of Lord Viper standing over him, immediately lowered his head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Emperor-sir-person...guy..." he greeted nervously, bowing to the emperor.

Lord Viper chuckled, shaking his head. "Now you remind me of Zeng..."

Mantis raised his head. "You mean that nervous-looking goose who I met downstairs?"

"That's the one."

"The one who looks like he's always about to have a panic attack?" He grinned. "Dude needs to take a chill pill..."

The emperor let out a laugh. "That he does. You know, I'm starting to forget why I had you come here... To be a guard or a comedian?"

"I'm always up for both," Mantis joked, getting up off the ground. _Wow, we're already making conversation!_ He pointed to the floor. "Nice floor you got here, by the way. Pure jade, huh? It's all smooth and cool... Kinda like me."

Lord Viper's amused grin never left his face. "I just met you a minuet ago, and I'm already starting to like you."

"Well, that's me for ya," Mantis replied, smiling. "I can kick ass and make people laugh. It's a pretty useful win-win."

"I can surely see why." Lord Viper's smile dropped a bit. "In all seriousness though, there is a distinct reason why I invited you to live here."

"Just name it, and I'll do it," Mantis said, smiling still, though a voice in his head was trying to keep the joking at a minimum. _Cool it on the jokes or you'll lose him._ He bit his lip, trying to keep his cool and not let another joke slip out of him. _Time to be serious._ "I'm here to be a guard, right?"

"Not just any guard," Lord Viper corrected. "A body guard."

"...For...?"

"My daughter."

Mantis blinked, confused. "Your... Daughter?" He wonder for a moment. "And how old exactly is this daughter of yours?"

"Twenty-five."

Mantis secretly cheered on the inside. _Score! She's my age! This day can't get any better..._ If there was one thing Mantis was also an expert on, it was women. Being a kung fu warrior had it's own perks when it came to wooing women, though he never stuck around with any of them... Nor did he ever get the chance to fool around with them. Mostly flirting and kissing. It amazed him how much women were into men who could fight. Now Mantis had a possible chance with the princess. But there was one problem: it was forbidden for a man of lower rank to be with a women of a much higher power... But since when did Mantis follow the rules? "What's her name?"

Something flashed in his eyes, Mantis noticed. A regret of some type. "Viper. Her name is Viper."

_Ooh... I like that._ Mantis cleared his throat, "And uh... Why exactly am I her body guard? Not that I'm complaining... I'm just..." he shrugged. "curious."

The emperor winced slightly. He hated having to tell the story of his eldest child's small acts of rebellion against him, and in his eyes, her reasons for wanting to leave the palace all the time, seemed to fit under the category of rebellion. "Well, if you want to know... My daughter has, well... grown needy."

_Pause it right there, dude!_ That right there confused the hell out of Mantis, who titled his head slightly. "Needy for...?"

"Needy for the life of a peasant," Lord Viper responded, somewhat harshly at the reminder of his daughter's useless dreams to be among commoners.

Mantis was slightly taken back by the rough response from the emperor. _Okay... Family drama... Obviously the princess has some daddy issues with this guy._ "Oh..." he replied, a bit quietly. "...that must suck."

"It does suck," Lord Viper agreed, with an agitated sigh. "She always wants to be outside and away from the palace, out and among the commoners..." He shook his head briefly, coming back to reality after seemingly leaving for a moment. "Anyway, I don't want to hear another rant from her about how I don't support her and her 'dreams', so I have invited you here to be her body guard for whenever she leaves the palace-""

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up." Mantis held up a pincher at the emperor. "So... You're saying I'm only needed when she wants to leave the palace?"

"Yes."

_Even better!_ "So... Only when she leaves?"

"Yes."

"So I'll be off duty when she's in the palace?"

"Only then."

_Oh I'm totally going to love this job!_ _I think I might even cry..._ Mantis grinned, fully enthusiastic than he had been before. "Where the hell do I sign up?"

Lord Viper smiled at the bug. He literally just met him and already he liked him. One thing was for sure: he certainly had no regrets about inviting Mantis to stay. "You already are sighed up."

He had found the perfect guard for his daughter.

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><p><strong>AN: I re-uploaded thi**s chapter to fix a few mi**stake**s. I apologize in advance... ^^"********

**Bleh... I don't really like how I wrote this. I don't really think of myself as a great writer... Nor a really good one. I'm not depressed or down or anything I just honestly feel that way. Like, when I read my own writing, I cringe. I don't know, I think all writers do that.**

**Anyway, yeah, this is 15 years later. Mantis and Viper are both 25, and in the prologue they were both 10. Nothing much to say really. And yes, I had Zeng the messenger from KFP 1 be the royal messenger for Emperor Viper. Expect lots more familiar faces soon! ;)**

**Hope you liked the official chapter 1!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Three**

"Don't you wish you could just leave this place?"

The question was blunt, but straight to the point. The female tiger leaning against the wall glanced over at her serpent friend, raising an eyebrow. "You always ask me that question, Viper."

"And you never answer my question, Tigress," Viper quipped, finished with fixing up her lotus blossoms that lay on top of her head. Her father had told her that morning that they were going to have a permanent guest at the palace. As princess, he reminded her always, she needed to look presentable, as one of royal blood and power should. She turned from her reflection in the mirror, staring at her long-time, childhood friend. "Why can't you just answer it? It is a simple question."

"Because there is no sense in mulling over the fact we're stuck with this royal bullshit for the rest of our lives," Tigress replied, her tone serious and stern, yet not as harsh as one would have thought it sounded like. Tigress could be harshly blunt at times, and by at times, it was most of the time. The only person she let her soft side show was with Viper. After all, they pretty much grew up together. Her adoptive father, Shifu, was the general of Viper's father, Lord Viper's army. _'A useless army,'_ Tigress would always say, since, after all, Huang Cheng was never under any threat. It was strangely bizarre how safe the city was. Almost to safe.

"Well, I did have a plan..." Viper stated, hesitantly.

"Which is...?"

Viper turned away, closing her eyes, nervous of Tigress' possible, soon-to-be disagreement. And when Tigress disagreed with something, she'd be very loud about it... Literally. "Run away."

This time however, Tigress was surprisingly calm with her answer. "No."

Instead of complaining or whining, as you'd think most princesses would, Viper stayed silent, though she couldn't shake that sinking feeling in her heart. Viper was the type of princess who thought of others before herself. She put other people's needs in front of her own, and since Tigress was her best friend, she didn't want to argue with her answer. Maybe she could run away, just on her own, but she knew what dangers lay ahead, beyond the rolling valleys outside of Huang Cheng. Bandits, outlaws... A girl like herself wouldn't last long in the danger that was the real world, outside the palace walls that made her emotional and mentally feel like a prisoner. But she had a secret that could keep her very much alive if she left...

Tigress, seeing Viper's saddened expression in the mirror that reflected back at her, felt that hard part of her heart sink with guilt. She knew Viper's secret, Hell, they had the same secret, and though Viper could be tough when needed to be, Tigress cared for her like a sister, and would protect her anyway she could. She always looked out for Viper. They were like sisters. No, they were sisters. She sighed, walking over to where Viper sat. Quietly, she took a seat beside her. "Look... Viper... It's not that I don't want to run away with you. I want to run away too... It's just that... We can't afford to leave." She smiled, though a bit sadly, nudging her playfully. "Besides, your father would be devastated if you left."

Now Viper felt her heart flutter with anger, and a pain twenty-five years in the making. "He wouldn't, Tigress, and you know that." She glanced over at Tigress, sadness spread across her soft face. "I don't know why, after years of telling you every little thing my father has done to show that he's disappointed in me, you still chose not to believe me. I mean, no offense, but, I would thought you'd have understood where I was coming from with all this, with how you tell me you think Shifu is disappointed in you."

Tigress flinched at that. All the memories of growing up with an unloving father, adopted or not, slammed into her all at once, plaguing her mind. She wanted to be mad, to yell and shout at Viper for bringing it up, but instead, she stayed silent. She knew Viper was right. "You're right," she sighed, closing her eyes. "When I think about how similar we're treated by our fathers, -the disappointment, the lack of love or care-, I try not to think of you going through what I had, and still have to go through. You're to much of a sweet person... The sweetest person I ever met... You don't deserve any of your father's resentment."

Viper didn't respond. She didn't dare look over at Tigress, feeling ashamed for getting so angry at her only and closest friend. She just wanted someone to understand the pain of growing up as lonely as she had, and still did. She had Tigress yes, but it was the lack of a father's love, her father's love, that made her heart, and her eyes, sting with agony.

"I just don't think that running away is the answer."

_Maybe she's right..._

_Or maybe she just doesn't understand how desperate I am._

The paper door of her bedroom slid open suddenly. Viper quickly straightened up, trying to cover up whatever emotion she felt. After years of mastering the art of pretending to be happy, as though nothing were wrong, as though she didn't hear the rumors or the whispers, she pulled it off with a fake smile as Lord Viper slithered into the room, up toward where she sat. He nodded simply at her. "I see you're ready now."

Viper only nodded in reply. "Yes, Father." Why can't he just smile at me for once? At least show some love for once... Just that thought alone made her eyes sting with tears that threatened to form, but she held them back.

Tigress could literally feel the awkwardness, and the silent, bitter tension from Viper wafting through the air like a sour scent. "Um..." she stood up quickly, wanting to leave the two of them alone to speak about whatever it was Lord Viper wanted to speak about. "I'll just... be leaving now." Normally Tigress was not one to be nervous with anyone. She was normally the intimidating one with anyone she met. But because he was emperor, ruler of a powerful city, and mainly a great friend of Shifu, she couldn't help but being nervous around him. No, she realized, it wasn't his power that made her nervous around Lord Viper, it was the fact he knew and was dear friends with the man who had taken her in, who had given her a home. She tried her best always to please Shifu, just for one day, one moment that showed that he did care for her as his daughter.

_And isn't that how Viper feels too?_

Tigress gave a short bow to Lord Viper before walking out of the room as fast as her legs could take her, silently sliding the door closed, keeping the tension between father and daughter trapped within the room.

Lord Viper waited momentarily until he was sure Tigress was gone, before continuing on, "Our guest has just arrived."

Viper lightened up with curiosity. When her father had told her about the new guest, he hadn't told her who the guest was or why the guest was staying with them. He was tightlipped about it, and it aggravated Viper to the point where she hadn't really slept well that night, wondering with eager, who this new guest was. "He has? Will you now tell me who he is?" _Please just tell me... I can't stand when a secret is kept!_

Lord Viper chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "Now, now Viper... It's a surprise. It's very rude to question my word. You'll find out who he is soon enough." He turned, beginning to slither toward the door.

One thing about her father that confused Viper tremendously, leaving her with conflicted emotions, was the fact that most of the time, her father was stern and cold, and other times like now, he'd be teasing, chiding her with slight enthusiasm in his voice about her mistakes as though she couldn't see her mistakes herself. Sometimes Viper would wonder if, somehow, he was actually making an attempt to make her happy with his teasing, soft tone. But when it was in that tone that he'd only scold her or remind her about things she would never be able to do or such, the thought of him attempting to maybe show her a little love like a father should, went right out the window.

Nonetheless, Viper silently followed him.

* * *

><p>If there was one important life skill that Mantis had not fully gotten a hang of yet, it was defiantly patience. Someone with his speed could not grasp the concept of patience as easily as others. That was one reason why he never stayed in one place for so long... He'd get impatient with the slow atmosphere of wherever he was, watching the villagers or city folk walking past him on the streets... He hated that feeling of wanting to go fast when he saw others moving as slow and steady as possible. And though most of his training was to get him to grasp even just the simple concept of patience, it was still very difficult for him to do so.<p>

That was why, when Lord Viper left, Mantis had to hold back the urge to get up and leave to wander around the palace. He hated being left to sit there in the same spot and wait... He was eager to get settled in and get it done with, and especially eager to chow down and eat. So leaving to wander around without Lord Viper's permission would surely get him in some deep trouble. Emperors were not one to mess with, and breaking a rule or not following an order was sure to get you banished.

So, Mantis sat there for not even longer than ten minuets, forcing himself not to go simply mad with impatience. He was literally breathing hard from the effort, almost as though it were an internal, physical torture having him simply sit there, waiting for Lord Viper return with the princess...

And then it hit him: Maybe that was why he was literally straining himself with impatience and anticipation. He was eager to see how much of a (in his words) babe this princess was. Get to know the girl he'd be protecting a little bit better...

He stared down at the floor while playing around with his pinchers, trying to take a good mental guess on what this princess looked like. One could only guess, really.

_Damn I hope she's a babe,_ Mantis silently prayed. _I would be the luckiest bug in the world if she is..._

The door to the throne room opened, and quickly Mantis composed himself, relieved that he wouldn't have to wait any longer. He stood up, straightening himself up as much as he could while his heart raced, watching Lord Viper slither in with another green snake slithering beside him, head down slightly. He noticed two lotus blossoms atop the head of the other snake. Obviously a girl. It had to be her. He inhaled and exhaled as calmly as possible as he got a good look at the lotus blossoms atop her head, and the markings on her back that seemed to dance in their own rhythm as she moved forward.

Coming to a stop, Lord Viper smiled at the nervous and anxious bug. "Mantis, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Princess Viper."

Hearing her name, the snake, Viper, raised her head, and at that moment, when their eyes met, something changed. Mantis froze at the sight of her, his eyes widening. His heart raced faster than it ever had before in his life, and just slightly, his jaw dropped.

_Oh my Gods... She's... More than a babe. She's... Beautiful!_

He hadn't come across a girl like the one who stood before him, smiling a little at him. She blinked at him, almost as though she were batting her eyes at him in a flirtatious way, but it wasn't flirtatious, really... It was more so innocent. She looked so innocent and sweet, her smile giving off the radiance of her outer beauty, and he could tell just by looking at her that she was not a stuck-up, ignorant type of princess. In a way, she was a rare breed.

_Say something, damn it!_ "H-Hi," he squeaked out, fumbling with his words slightly. He was never this nervous around girls. He wondered briefly what was wrong with him.

Viper, not ever having been around a man her age before, blushed slightly, giggling at his nervous greeting. "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mantis."

_Don't pass out, don't pass out..._ "T-the pleasure is all mine..." he smiled back, visibly shaking. _DON'T PASS OUT. DON'T PASS OUT._

Lord Viper chuckled, amused by the scene before him. "Viper, Mantis here is going to be your personal body guard-" Everything went downhill from there.

"Wait, WHAT?" Viper was taken back by her father's words. _Bodyguard?_ She didn't need a bodyguard! She didn't even want a bodyguard! She couldn't even stand the palace guards. "A bodyguard?"

"Well, what's wrong with that?" Lord Viper demanded, glaring at his eldest and only daughter. "I was thinking of you, after all, when I brought him-" he motioned toward Mantis with his tail, "-here!"

Mantis deflated. _What a way to ruin a moment, old man..._

"I do NOT need a bodyguard!" Viper yelled, "I am perfectly capable with taking care of myself!"

"A woman can not defend herself," Lord Viper reminded her, narrowing his eyes. He was close to losing his patience with her. "And you know that!"

"Well I'm not like other women!" Viper protested, "I can defend myself! I don't need a man to protect me!" With that said, Viper turned and stormed out of the room, leaving a very confused Mantis left alone with a very frustrated emperor.

Lord Viper sighed, rubbing his forehead with his tail. "She can be stubborn, that girl..."

"Uhh... sure..." Mantis was still staring at the door where Viper had hurriedly slithered out of, hoping she'd return. I like a feisty girl.

"She'll grow to accept you," Lord Viper replied, turning to leave. Zeng stood at the doorway, possibly after hearing all the commotion. "For now, you're free to go. Zeng-" The goose nervously stepped forward as Lord Viper motioned for him to come into the throne room. "-give Mantis here a little tour of the palace. Get him a little more comfortable with the place."

Zeng gave him a nervous salute as Lord Viper slithered past him and out of the room. "Yes sir!" He watched him go momentarily before turning his attention toward Mantis.

Mantis smiled. _Finally, I get to move around a little._ Suddenly a loud growling could be heard, and Mantis cringed, placing one of his pinchers over his belly. _Crap. Papa's gotta eat over here..._ He glanced up at Zeng, and remembered Lord Viper's words to him. He smirked. "Zeng," he announced loudly, pretending to be the emperor for a moment, "lead me to the kitchen please!"

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><p>The magnificent interior of the many hallways and rooms that Zeng and Mantis passed by on the short trip to the dining hall was largely ignored by the insect, his sole focus being only the food. And upon entering the dining hall, he nearly fainted at the sight of the many silver trays and platters of different types of delectable snacks. Cakes, breads, fruit... He hadn't seen this much food in one room in years, and in such a variety, too!<p>

According to Zeng, dinner was already in the process of being made in the kitchen that was right next door. So, after a few minuets of silence that the two sat at the long dining hall table, the only noise coming from Mantis who, surrounded by the food he picked off the trays, shoved fruit and bean buns in his mouth, chewing loudly, Zeng came up with some excuse to leave the new guard be. The goose quickly, almost in a nervous panic, left the room.

Mantis watched him go for a moment, raising an eyebrow. _What's his problem?_ he wondered. _Well, noticeably a LOT of things... The obvious being the spasms of panic he has every five seconds._ The bug shrugged. _Oh well._ He continued eating.

He sat in peace at the table, content with the silence that only being alone brought. He ate and ate, filling his hollow and empty stomach with satisfying results. He found himself beaming. Food could make a person happy, and for someone who never had enough to eat growing up, the amount of food was a relief to his spirit.

Mantis made it down to his last bean bun, but found he couldn't bring himself to finish it. He was full, and oh-so-happy and content. He lied on the table, limbs outstretched as he patted his full belly._ I won't be hearing any growling from you in a while,_ he thought, smiling. He closed his eyes, enjoying the continued silence within the dining hall.

Something wafted through the air, and it reached him just as his eyes closed. His antenna twitched and he sniffed the air. He let out a moan from the sweet scent that flowed through his senses. _That smell..._ he thought, opening his eyes and sitting up. _It's so... familiar._

He was brought back to an image, a memory of himself as a small child, walking through the streets of his long-forgotten, childhood village with that familiar pain in his stomach, the hollowness he felt pass him just a few minuets earlier, but could sure as hell remember so clearly like yesterday. It was raining, and cold... And the scent was sweet and offered warmth and comfort from the chilly air and rain. And then he saw a bowl in his head, with steam lifting up from the top. The warmth of it's smell... Soup. It was soup. Mantis turned his head toward the kitchen door across from where he sat.

The smell was coming from the kitchen.

Nearly quicker than the speed of light, Mantis stood before the twin kitchen door. He pushed them open with little effort, poking his head inside. It was a medium size kitchen, and upon his head entering the room, the sweet scent grew stronger. He couldn't see anyone else, but could hear the obvious sounds of a single person working behind a wall that was in the way, blocking the view to where Mantis couldn't immediately see who it was that was working.

He thought about going back to his spot on the table in the dining hall, but quickly thought against it. That scent, that familiar scent was the first piece of the past that he had found in years. He wouldn't let it go now. He wanted to investigate and get it over with. Suddenly, he heard the person working along start humming to themselves.

The insect moved forward as quietly as possible. The scent and the sound of humming grew as he drew closer. He was right at the wall, and he slowly turned to meet the sight of a figure, a certain species he hadn't seen in years.

A big, round panda, wearing an apron was working away, stirring a spoon inside a large pot as he hummed to himself, even dancing at times. A panda. He hadn't seen one in years.

_I haven't seen one in years._

The scent. The rain. The warmth. The comfort. The soup. The kind gesture. The panda. It all made sense now, as the full memory of that dark time filled with hunger came at him all at once. The name was clearly visible, and he remembered it well. And he knew who this panda was. It _had_ to be him. That panda who was a child too when Mantis was young and starving in the streets, offering him and his mother a free bowl of soup from his father's noodle restaurant. Such a kind gesture from what was a great friend for such a short time, until the panda and his father had to move away, never to be seen again. _Until now._ Until fate brought them together again, the two friends from childhood.

And the name escaped Mantis, loud and clear:

"Po?"

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><p><strong>AN: WOW. haven't updated in a while. XD I had this half-way done for awhile and didn't know how to finish it until today. But yep, slight cliff-hanger! Turns out Mantis knew the panda from his childhood. Mantis' past plays a key role in this whole story. You'll know why eventually.**

**Please review! :)**


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